Away from the track and field events of the National Stadium in Tokyo, some of the world’s best golfers will be battling it out for Olympic gold at the Kasumigaseki Country Club this week.
While golf may not be the first sport one associates with Japan, its popularity is widespread across the country’s five main islands.
In fact, there are over 2,000 courses on offer in Japan, more than the rest of Asia combined.
The venue of the Olympic golf competition is a private member’s course and not open to the public, there are still a huge number of spectacular courses to consider for your next golfing holiday – when Covid restrictions allow, of course.
We’ve picked out five venues to consider for your next golfing trip to The Land of The Rising Sun.
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Narashino Country Club
Green Fee: From 8,500 Yen (£55)
If you want to walk in the footsteps of the world’s best, Narashino is probably your best bet. Home to a number of Open events and graced by the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Gary Player and Tiger Woods, it’s crowned some of the world’s greatest golfers.
Woods’ victory at the venue was during the Zozo Championships of 2018, when the course became the first in Japan to host a PGA Tour event.
Perhaps unusual for many UK-based golfers, in Japan it is common for holes to boast two greens, with the option to target either pin and Narashino is no different, with two varying approaches on each of the 36 holes of the King and Queen courses.
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Fuji Golf Course
Green Fee: From 11,800 Yen (£78)
The approach to the greens on the 5th and 16th hole at the Fuji Golf Course are like no other in golf. Lining up your wedge onto the putting surface with the imposing snow-capped peak of Mount Fuji standing guard over the green is a sight to behold.
Nestled in the foothills of Japan’s tallest mountain, a visit to Fuji Golf Course allows golfers to tick off the need to see the spectacular attraction without taking away any game time.
Wide, flat fairways afford visitors the odd wayward one off the tee, but overhit your putts at your peril – the greens are notoriously fast!
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Satsuki Golf Course
Green Fee: From 7,300 Yen (£48)
Those with a desire to tick off the biggest, tallest, longest of anything on their golfing trips overseas ought to visit Satsuki, which until recently, boasted the longest hole in the world.
Now overtaken by the Gunsan Country Club in South Korea’s 1,097-yard 3rd, the 964 yard Par 7 7th is still the longest in Japan, and makes holes elsewhere seem minuscule by comparison.
Before you get to the half-mile behemoth, players must overcome a similarly challenging Par 3 with its elevated tees overlooking the double-green target area, surrounded by water. Whether it’s challenging your drive or your approach play, the Sano course at Satsuki does it all.
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Hirono Golf Club
Green Fee: N/A – Members and their guests only
Widely regarded as one of the best golfing venues in Japan, Hirono’s course was designed by Englishman, Charles Allison, a man credited with drawing up plans for some of the nation’s top courses, including that of the Olympic golfing arena.
Having recently undergone extensive renovations, Hirono still presents golfers a real test of their mettle. Undulating greens and fairways and complex bunker systems show why the course is held in high regard as not just a pleasure to play, but a fierce adversary for golfers.
Don’t expect to be able to rock up and play on a whim though, the course is pretty exclusive, you’ll need to get friendly with a member and convince them to invite you as their guest to bag a tee time.
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